Food Network YouTube Challenge

dudefooddude — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:24:26 +0000

Do you like Mexican Food? How about Cheeseburgers? If you are like me then those are your two favorite things to eat. I have created the perfect way to combine my two loves – the Mexican Cheeseburger. This burger has everything you could want in either a Mexican food dish or a cheeseburger. This bad boy is a DUDE FOOD original and it comes complete with avocado, chipotle mayo, and fresh homemade salsa. Plus, I saved the best part for last – in the mix is ground beef and chorizo! That’s the little touch that puts this burger over the top.

If you are interested in checking out how I make this masterpiece you can view my video entry into the Food Networks YouTube challenge. The grand prize is a trip for two to New York City and a face to face meeting with the head honchos at the Food Network. Not a bad prize at all so wish me luck!

The DUDE FOOD Story

dudefooddude — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 23:26:40 +0000

Dude Food is a Sacramento based catering company that specializes in serving great tasting food to people in a variety of settings. Whatever your event needs are, we are here to make sure it is a success by working with you to create a menu for your event, being professional while working that event and cleaning up after ourselves so it looks like we were never there. DUDE FOOD offers a wide range of menu selections including appetizers, salads, pizzas, burgers, and entrees. We pride ourselves on having food for any setting, every occasion and any budget.

Whether you are looking to host an intimate dinner for a few friends, poker night with the boys, or are looking to provide your coworkers with a unique office lunch, we’ve got you covered.

And don’t forget that football season is right around the corner. Football and DUDE FOOD go hand and hand! Why go to the neighborhood sports bar and pay for sub-par food when you can invite your friends over and enjoy the big game while eating great tasting and satisfying food without the hassle. Also, DUDE FOOD is perfect for you fantasy football fanatics who are planning upcoming draft parties.

We look forward to hearing from you!

All-American Slider Bar

Chicken Cobb Salad Sandwich with Sundried Tomato Aioli

Office Lunch complete with Sandwhich Platter, Salads and Bruschetta

Dude Food Graduation Party

dudefooddude — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:40:38 +0000

This weekend DUDE FOOD was hired to provide some of our tasty menu items for a college graduation party attended by 70 people. The host called on DUDE FOOD to prepare a few of our signature salads and appetizers for the event. Selections included:

- RED, WHITE, AND BLUE POTATO SALAD
- GRILLED CORN, AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH CILANTRO LIME VINAIGRETTE
- GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA
- DUDE FOOD BAKED BEANS WITH LINGUISA SAUSAGE

The selections were a great accompaniment to the grilled chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs provided by the host and completed the casual backyard BBQ feel of the event.

Make sure to think of DUDE FOOD for your next event! We can take care of everything from start to finish, or provide appetizers, sides or salad to compliment what you already have planned.

GRILLED CORN AND AVOCADO SALAD WITH CILANTRO AND LIME VINIGRETTE

BRUSCHETTA WITH GOAT CHEESE

Summer Time and the Grilling’s Easy!

dudefooddude — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 22:38:25 +0000

DUDE FOOD’S dinner of the week this week is grilled chicken thighs marinated in lemon, olive oil, and rosemary served alongside grilled corn, avocado and tomato salad with a lime and cilantro vinaigrette.

It’s summer time and who wants to slave away over the stove while cooking dinner? I know I don’t. Why not enjoy those late afternoon breezes and grill up this tasty mid-week dinner? Easy enough to cook for you and your special someone and still tasty enough to serve to guests.

LEMON ROSEMARY CHICKEN
- 1 package chicken (I recommend using chicken thighs for grilling but feel free to use legs, or breasts)
-2 lemons, juiced
-4 cloves garlic
-1 tbsp olive oil
-3 sprigs rosemary
-Salt and Pepper to taste

Place chicken in a large plastic bag and combine all the above ingredients and make sure all the chicken is evenly coated. Let chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4-8 hours. When ready to grill, place chicken skin side down over a medium high heat and don’t flip until skin is crispy. Once that is achieved, flip chicken and finish cooking. Cooking time should be about 15-20 minutes, depending on the grill temperature and thickness of chicken.

GRILLED CORN, AVOCADO, AND TOMATO SALAD WITH LIME AND CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE

-4 ears of corn shucked and cleaned. Leave only 1 layer of husk around corn and let sit in water 15 minutes before grilling
-2-3 avocados cubed depending on size
-5 roma tomatoes diced with seeds removed
-3 limes and zest from 1 lime
-3 cloves of garlic
-2 small bunches of cilantro. 1 bunch chopped fine
-1/2-1 cup olive oil
- 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
-Salt and pepper to taste

To make the vinaigrette, combine garlic, 1 bunch cilantro, juice from 2 1/2 limes, zest from 1 lime along with salt and pepper in a food processor. While blade is running drizzle oil until incorporated. Make sure to taste as you go.

Place corn over a medium high heat on grill and cook for about 7-10 minutes turning often so all sides cook and get grill marks. Remove corn from grill and let cool. In a bowl combine tomatoes, onions, avocados, chopped cilantro saving a small amount for garnish and salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Remove corn from stalk and add to mixture along with juice from 1/2 a lime. Drizzle a small amount of vinaigrette on salad and gently fold into mix. Make sure to not over dress the salad.

This mid week dinner was also served with some grilled zucchin, but any grillable vegetables would do. Some examples would be asparagus, portobello mushrooms, bell peppers or eggplant.

Next time you’re firing up the grill, give the recipe a shot. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Dude Food Goes Corporate – For Lunch!

dudefooddude — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:26:24 +0000

Recently, Dude Food was invited to cater a workday lunch for a Sacramento area law firm. We pride ourselves on having food for every occasion. From Super Bowl parties to formal dinner parties. And, if you are looking to cater a lunch meeting, we’ve got you covered for that, too.

This lawyer lunch was not your typical office lunch lunch fare. The menu included:

Bruschetta with Goat Cheese

Grilled Corn, Avocado Tomato Salad with Lime and Cilantro Vinaigrette

Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad

And a tray of delicious sandwiches that included your choice of

Chicken Cobb Salad Sandwich

Roast Beef with Havarti Cheese and Horseradish Aioli

The Amanda Sandwich

And of course any office lunch would not be complete with out a little sugar pick me up, so we included some fresh baked homemade chocolate chip cookies.

This was Dude Food’s first opportunity to cater a office event, and it went perfectly smooth. The lucky folks who got this special lunch enjoyed every bit of it. If you are looking to host a office meeting or party look no farther than Dude Food.

Product Review: Frozen Garlic Fries

dudefooddude — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:07:45 +0000

Like most dudes I am all the about meat and potatoes and I’m always looking for new ways to eat and enjoy both. Recently, I discovered frozen garlic fries at our local Trader Joes. I haven’t had a lot of success with frozen fries because I like my fries crispy and it’s difficult to crisp up the frozen fries without burning half the batch.

But these couldn’t have come out any better. In about 20 minutes they came out crispy and golden brown. They reminded me of fries from Jack in the Box (which I love). The fries come with a mixture of garlic and parsley that is packaged separately and while the fries are fresh from the oven you mix them all together in a bowl and enjoy.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy frozen fry that is delicious look no farther, these are for you.

Garlic Fries along side Turkey Sliders

Product Review: Blue Cheese Slices

dudefooddude — Sun, 16 May 2010 21:44:57 +0000

Blue cheese slices you say? I thought you could only get blue cheese in crumble or block form but no, not anymore! That’s right, thanks to Trader Joe’s they sell a new product called Blue Granite Jack Cheese slices. It’s a combination of jack and blue cheese and it is fantastic. If you love blue cheese like I do then you have to give it a shot.

We have used it on sandwiches and, for the sake of this review, we used it on a batch of turkey sliders. The cheese has the great blue cheese flavor and it melts perfectly just like you would expect from a slice of jack or cheddar cheese. If you are a cheese lover, then this is a must try.

Blue Granite Jack Cheese Slices

Turkey Sliders with Blue Cheese Slices and Sauteed Onions and Spinach

Dinner of the Week: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

dudefooddude — Tue, 04 May 2010 01:52:57 +0000

Looking for an easy, make-ahead weeknight dinner? Need to feed a crowd? Want a taste of Southern comfort food? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this is the recipe you’ve been waiting for!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2-lb. bone-in pork shoulder
1 20 oz. bottle Coca-Cola
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/ cup water
Salt and pepper
1 bottle favorite BBQ sauce
4 sandwich rolls

1. Layer bottom of crock pot with sliced onions
2. Add pork shoulder to crock pot
3. Add garlic, cola, vinegar and water
4. Season well with salt and pepper
5. Cook at low for 8-12 hours

After 8-12 hours, remove pork from crock pot and drain off liquid, reserving 1/2 cup. Add pork back to crock pot, remove bone and shred with two forks. Add BBQ sauce and some of cooking liquid (if needed).

Toast rolls, top with pulled pork and more BBQ sauce (optional). Enjoy with a side of cole slaw or fresh corn on the cob.

The Chili of Champions

dudefooddude — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:00:34 +0000

This weekend DUDE FOOD was entered in its first ever food competition. After the scores were tallied we were given 1st prize at The Fire Cafe Chili Cookoff. Despite the the tough competition, we scored high enough with our Green Pork Chili to take home a cash prize and a trophy.

One judge commented “that was a very original chili and it should be in a class of its own”. We were very pleased with the final product and want to thank The Fire Cafe for hosting a great chili cookoff.

Championship Green Pork Chili

Sean’s Fantastic 40th

dudefooddude — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 02:07:34 +0000

Saturday night DUDE FOOD served up some delicious sliders and appetizers for Sean’s 40th birthday party. Sean’s wife Kristen hired us and we worked closely with her to come up with a menu Sean would love. That menu was full of Sean’s favorites:

~ Southwest Eggrolls with Avocado Cream Sauce ~

~ Roasted Jalepeno Pesto Wontons with Shrimp and Cream Cheese~

~ Hot and Sweet Wings with Blue Cheese Yogurt Dipping Sauce ~

and last but not least…

~ A Build-Your-Own Slider Bar with all the fixings ~

The party was a huge success, going late into the night, and everybody left happy and full.

Southwest Eggrolls and Roasted Jalepeno Pesto Wontons

The World Famous Dude Food Slider Bar